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Reviewers Like The LG's New Bendable Phone, But Think The Price Is Outrageous

Ryan Bushey   

Reviewers Like The LG's New Bendable Phone, But Think The Price Is Outrageous
Tech2 min read

lg g flex bendable smartphone

Laptop Magazine/Screenshot

LG's newest smartphone looks different.

It's one of the first devices that is embracing curved displays while Samsung is trying to capitalize on this emerging trend too.

One of the most interesting elements of LG's phone is that it can heal itself in order to distinguish itself from its upcoming competition at Samsung.

A few journalists were able to test out this feature among many others. While critics enjoyed the self-healing function, they thought the price ($940) was not accurate based on the features it had to offer.

Unfortunately, the phone does not have a release date set for the U.S. If you're interested in buying it when it becomes available, check out what else reviewers have to say below:

Lynn La, CNET

The rear finish, which LG says is "self-healing," is derived from paint finishes in the automotive industry. Hydrogen in the finish is involved in the surface expanding over time after being scratched, sealing up any damage. Keep in mind that it's not impenetrable. An X-Acto knife will damage the surface easily, and I managed to put one permanent scar on the back of the device with a key.

That occurred, however, after several attempts. Prior, the Flex would show some scuffs here and there, but those would disappear after a few minutes or so (increasing the surface's temperature with simple rubbing will also help the healing process). This was all pretty impressive given that the handset is supposed to fend off everyday scuffs and scratches, which it indeed does.

Brad Molen, Engadget

Setting aside the version number for the time being, how is the software itself? It's much like what you'll enjoy on the LG G2 (the G2's knock-on feature is here), although there are a small handful of extra options that take advantage of the large screen and curved build. The most useful is dual-screen mode, which is LG's version of the Multi Window feature commonly seen on Samsung devices. Holding down the back button brings up a menu of 14 different native apps, which gives you the chance to pick which app goes on which screen. You'll be able to resize and flip screens as well as swap different apps in and out; we're also fond of the fact that if you have to exit dual-screen mode, the phone remembers where you were so you can choose to go back there whenever you want. It also has drag-and-drop capabilities, which allows you to do things like move pictures from your gallery directly into a message. Even more impressively, clicking on a link in a text or email lets you open that link in a second screen; this is a feature we've been anxious to have for a while, so we were happy to see that LG added it.

David Pierce, The Verge

The camera is another place where LG smartly didn't mess with a good thing. The 13-megapixel rear shooter is among the best Android cameras available, taking sharp pictures and offering more manual control than most phones I've used. Thanks to LG's gigantic list of scene modes, filters, and camera options, there's really nothing you can't do with the camera. Unfortunately, there's no image stabilization in the G Flex (a space-saving move, apparently), which does make for slightly blurrier photos in low light. The app is fast, if kind of ugly and a little unintuitive. The G Flex's camera doesn't exactly set the world on fire, but it's still one of the better Android shooters you can buy.

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